gun laws

Twenty-six seconds of silence were observed in honor of the victims killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School at a memorial organized to mark six months since the massacre. Margaret Warner reports on how lawmakers and activists are engaged in the debate about new forms of gun control. Continue reading →

Lawmakers in Congress and at the state level are grappling with how to approach and pass new gun legislation. For the latest from Capitol Hill and state capitals, Gwen Ifill talks with Ed O’Keefe of The Washington Post, Arkansas State Rep. Charles Collins and Vinny DeMarco, president of Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence. Continue reading →

In other news Tuesday, 115 Roman Catholic Cardinals convened a conclave to begin the papal election process. Their first first vote was inconclusive, but they will resume voting Wednesday. Also, a Colorado judge entered a not guilty plea for James Holmes, the man accused of last July’s mass shooting in a movie theater. Continue reading →

A tough battle is being waged over gun laws and ways to address gun violence in Florida, a state known to have some of the least restrictive firearm laws in the country. Special correspondent Trimmel Gomes of Florida Public Radio looks at gun ownership in the Sunshine State. Continue reading →

Judy Woodruff talks to National Rifle Association president David Keene about his opposition to potential, additional gun control laws intended to curb gun violence nationwide. Keene has rejected White House recommendations on gun control and dismissed any ban on assault weapons or high-capacity magazines. Continue reading →

President Obama called on Republicans to "act responsibly" and raise the nation’s debt ceiling before March when the U.S. is expected to breech its borrowing limit and possibly default on its debt. Judy Woodruff talks to the Wall Street Journal’s Carol Lee and Politico’s Jake Sherman about Obama’s plans for the federal deficit. Continue reading →

A grand jury will not investigate the death of Trayvon Martin — the unarmed black teenager shot in a gated community in February, a special prosecutor said Monday. Gwen Ifill and Daniel Webster of Johns Hopkins’ Center for Gun Policy and Research discuss the case’s potential effects on other states’ “stand your ground” laws. Continue reading →

The U.S. Supreme Court set the stage for a major ruling on the Second Amendment Tuesday when it agreed to take a case weighing the constitutionality of a ban on handguns in Washington, D.C. Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal details the significance of the case. Continue reading →

An investigation into the Virginia Tech shootings criticized the university for failing to respond to the behavior of Seung-Hui Cho and for communication problems. Panel member Tom Ridge discusses the findings. Continue reading →

Washington, D.C. residents and officials are lobbying the House of Represenatives to get a voting member. The NewsHour reports on the fight for voting rights in the nation’s capital. Continue reading →